The invention relates specifically, though not exclusively, to an application for separating solid particles in discharge fluids coming from dental aspirating equipment.
As is known, dental aspirating equipment removes fluids from the patient's mouth during a dental operation. These fluids comprise a gassy part (generally air), a liquid part (generally water, blood and other liquids used in dental apparatus), as well as a solid part in the FORM of particles (generally comprising dental amalgam). The aspirated fluids contain various polluting substances, such as the solid particles of the amalgam. In dental plants the production of fluids can be rather abundant, though generally discontinuously produced. These fluids, before being discharged into the sewers, must be cleaned of these polluting particles. Thus a possible use of the invention is to liberate the fluids aspirated from these polluting substances.
Separator centrifuges are used for the above operation, which separate the fluids by exploiting the centrifugal force which is developed by impressing rapid rotary motion on the fluid current containing the suspended particles. In particular, the present invention relates to a centrifuge container which is provided with an entrance for the mixed fluid and a superiorly-located exit for the fluid once it has been cleaned of the solid particles. The container is truncoconical, converging towards the bottom thereof, a discharge being located at the bottom of the container which is connected to a collection chamber of the solid particles.
A centrifuge of the above-described type is taught in EP 0 557 251, where the efficiency and performance of the separation are increased by using a centrifuge pump whose impeller, located inside the container above the truncoconical wall, can rotate and accelerate the speed of the water independently of the flow rate and thus achieve a first separation of the particles by centrifuging. The use of a centrifugal pump leads, however, to a certain constructional complexity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks in the prior art by providing a centrifuge separator which is constructionally simple and economical and which at the same time is able to separate a relatively high weight percentage of the solid particles suspended in a fluid, thus providing a high degree of separation.
An advantage of the device is that it provides a very high degree of separation over a broad range of particle dimensions, and is especially efficient in the separation of smaller particles.
A further advantage is that the centrifuge is efficient regardless of the quantity of fluid to be filtered.
A still further advantage is that a high quantity of fluid can be discharged in a short time, even where the fluid flow rate is variable and discontinuous.
Yet further advantages are that the whole unit has no moving parts and is relatively compact.
These aims and advantages and others besides are all achieved by the invention as it is characterised in the accompanying claims.